Removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or from a gaseous source requires a very large energy input to overcome the entropic energies associated with isolating and concentrating diffuse gases. Current equipment and strategies for sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or for producing renewable hydrogen are either inefficient, cost prohibitive, or produce toxic by-products such as chlorine. To lower global carbon dioxide levels and reduce new carbon dioxide emissions, it is critical to develop economically viable equipment and processes to remove vast quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or gas streams by capturing and sequestering it in a stable form or by converting it to valuable commodity products. The production of carbon-free renewable fuels such as renewable hydrogen is also an important goal in addressing global warming.